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SIT Study Abroad
Spring 2016
Food for Thought: Perceptions of Food Access and
Heathful Eating in The Masxha Community
Hannah Richason
SIT Graduate Institute - Study Abroad, [email protected]
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Recommended Citation
Richason, Hannah, "Food for Thought: Perceptions of Food Access and Heathful Eating in The Masxha Community" (2016).
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection. Paper 2330.
http://digitalcollections.sit.edu/isp_collection/2330
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT: PERCEPTIONS OF FOOD ACCESS AND HEATHFUL EATING IN
THE MASXHA COMMUNITY
Hannah Richason
Indiana University
Advisor: Clive Bruzas
SIT Durban: Community Health and Social Policy, Spring 2016
Richason 2
Acknowledgments
This project has only been possible because of the support and guidance of dozens of
individuals over several months.
I would first like to thank the individuals in the Masxha community who showed great
hospitality in inviting me into their homes to share their experiences with me. I would also like to
give a huge thanks to my host family in Cato Manor, who not only housed and fed me over the
project period but also generously offered their time in helping me find study participants.
I would also like to thank the SIT Community Health and Social Policy program staff.
Thank you, Zed, Clive, Thula, and Hlobi, for your support and encouragement during the project
period. I would especially like to thank Clive Bruzas for being my advisor, and for his invaluable
direction and advice in carrying out this project.
Thank you also to my parents for their continued support and encouragement in
completing this study.
Richason 3
Abstract
This study aims to begin to understand the perceptions of food access and healthful eating
within the Masxha community, located in the Cato Manor Township. Food insecurity has
recently been gaining attention as a problem in urban areas, however, there is still a lack of
literature addressing specifically urban food insecurity.
Study data was collected through 10 interviews with participants in the Masxha
community. Conversations focused on food habits, what participants consider healthy, food
buying habits, food access, and potential solutions to food insecurity. Interviews intended to
learn whether food insecurity is experienced among participants in Masxha, as well as how
community members thought about healthy foods, with the aim that this information would help
fill gaps in existing literature to approach the broader goal of finding solutions to the issue of
urban food insecurity.
Very few participants seemed to be experiencing or at risk of experiencing food
insecurity. More research is needed, however, to fill gaps in the literature on urban food
insecurity in South Africa and potential solutions. Community gardens could present a
reasonable response to urban food insecurity, however, more research is also needed to
determine whether community gardens are helpful in improving both nutrition and food access.
Richason 4
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments........................................................................................................................... 2
Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... 3
Explanations of Frequently Used Anagrams and Terms ................................................................ 5
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 6
Context and Literature Review ....................................................................................................... 8
Food Access ................................................................................................................................ 8
Community Gardens ................................................................................................................... 9
Methodologies............................................................................................................................... 10
Sampling Plan ........................................................................................................................... 10
Data Collection ......................................................................................................................... 11
Data Analysis ............................................................................................................................ 12
Ethics............................................................................................................................................. 13
Findings......................................................................................................................................... 14
Food Habits and Perceptions of “Healthy” ............................................................................... 14
Food Buying Habits .................................................................................................................. 19
Food Access .............................................................................................................................. 21
Food Access Solutions .............................................................................................................. 25
Traditional Foods ...................................................................................................................... 27
Analysis and Discussion ............................................................................................................... 28
Knowledge of Healthy Eating without Behavior ...................................................................... 28
Perceptions of Food Insecurity ................................................................................................. 31
Community Gardening.............................................................................................................. 33
Conclusions ................................................................................................................................... 35
Recommendations for Further Study ............................................................................................ 36
References ..................................................................................................................................... 37
List of Primary Sources ................................................................................................................ 39
Appendix 1: Interview Questions ................................................................................................. 40
Appendix 2: Informed Consent Form ........................................................................................... 41
Appendix 3: Local Review Board Approval ................................................................................ 42
Appendix 4: SIT Study Abroad Statement on Ethics ................................................................... 43
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Explanations of Frequently Used Anagrams and Terms

Phutu: a crumbly porridge (Swart & Swart, n.d.)

Pap: a porridge made from maize (Swart & Swart, n.d.)

Samp: ground corn, sometimes refers to a porridge made from ground corn

FBDGs: Food-Based Dietary Guidelines
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Introduction
This project aims at addressing the question of how food access and nutrition are
perceived by members of the Masxha community, a section of the Cato Manor Township in
Durban, South Africa. The researcher conducted interviews in the Masxha community to better
understand the perceptions of access to food (in relation to both location and affordability of
food) and the standards by which community members deem certain foods healthy and others
unhealthy.
Food security was defined at the World Food Summit in 1996 to exist “when all people,
at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets
their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life” (Food Security (Policy
brief 2), 2006, p. 1). The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2006) further
expounds upon this definition to bring about four main aspects of food security. The first
dimension of food security is food availability, referring to enough food physically being
available. Food access is also implicated, meaning that individuals and families have the
sufficient resources with which to acquire enough food. Food security also occurs when food is
utilized “through adequate diet, clean water, sanitation and health care to reach a state of
nutritional well-being” (Food Security (Policy brief 2), 2006, p. 1). Lastly, stability is indicated
as being essential to food security in that when an individual or household is food secure, they
are able to access food at all times, even if a sudden shock occurs (p. 1).
South Africa is experiencing “a rising incidence of overweight and obesity and the
associated consequences such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes” (Roadmap
for Nutrition in South Africa, 2013, p. 11). The Roadmap for Nutrition in South Africa (2013)
states that “Within the context of the HIV and AIDS pandemic and food insecurity, the high
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prevalence of under-nutrition, micronutrient deficiencies and emergent over-nutrition presents a
complex series of challenges” (p. 11). 26.6% of South African women are overweight, and an
additional 24.9% are obese (Roadmap for Nutrition in South Africa, 2013). Moreover, rates of
obesity in children are higher in urban areas, with 5.5% of children in urban areas experiencing
obesity compared to 4.8% nationally (Roadmap for Nutrition in South Africa, 2013, p. 11). Noncommunicable diseases counted for 37% of all deaths in 2000, with cardiovascular disease and
diabetes making up 19% and cancers making up 7% of NCD deaths (Steyn, et al., 2006, p. 259).
Obesity has been shown to contribute to the development of these non-communicable diseases.
The World Health Organization (n.d) states that “Overweight and obesity lead to adverse
metabolic effects on blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides and insulin resistance,” and also
that “Risks of coronary heart disease, ischemic stroke and type 2 diabetes mellitus increase
steadily with increasing body mass index (BMI).”
This study aims to address the double burden of food insecurity and increasing levels of
overwight and obesity in urban areas by collecting perceptions of food access and healthful
eating in an urban South African community. The purpose of this study is to fill gaps missing in
the literature on food insecurity and perceptions of what food is healthy in urban South Africa to
help get a better understanding of where solutions lie.
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Context and Literature Review
Food Access
Food access is currently an issue of interest in South Africa due to the ongoing drought.
Statistics South Africa (2016) states that South Africa is experiencing the “worst drought in 23
years,” requiring imported maize to meet demand and consequently creating concern over the
inflation of food prices, especially with “rand weakness driving up the prices of other imports
such as wheat” (Rising food prices, 2016). Food prices have been steadily increasing since
November 2015, when the food inflation rate was 4.8%, to 5.8% in December, 7% in January,
8.8% in February, and 9.8% in March (Taking stock of food prices, 2016). Notably, the prices of
vegetables and fruit “were both 18.7% more expensive in March 2016 than they were in March
2015” (Taking stock of food prices, 2016). This leaves households that were already struggling
to pay for food more susceptible to food insecurity.
Urban food access in South Africa has only recently been drawing attention. Crush and
Caesar (2014) note that “food security has been given precious little attention in research and
policy formulation in relation to poverty and livelihoods in Msunduzi (and urban KwaZulu-Natal
more generally)” (p. 166) due to issues with uneven development left from the apartheid legacy.
In addition, the majority of attention towards food insecurity has been given to rural areas;
Battersby (2011) notes that “the ANC included food security as one of its top priorities in its
2009 Election Manifesto, but located it in the section on rural development” (p. 546). Even
though there hasn’t been much attention given to urban food insecurity in South Africa, it has
still been occurring. The African Food Security Urban Network (AFSUN) study, which place in
Msunduzi from 2008-2009, found that 60% of surveyed residents were severely insecure, with
another 27% being moderately food insecure (Crush & Caesar, 2014, p. 170). The AFSUN
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conducted in Cape Town found that 77% of households were either severely or moderately food
insecure (Battersby, 2011, p. 549). A study done in Klipplaat, a rural area, using the same tools
to measure food insecurity found 100% of households to be severely or moderately food
insecure, however the severity of food insecurity was found to be higher in urban areas, as there
is a greater dependence on the cash economy by individuals and families living in the city
(Battersby, 2011, p. 549).
Community Gardens
In this study participants are asked to comment on whether they think that gardens would
help address food insecurity in Masxha. A study done in a Toronto community garden found
several benefits that participants experienced due to involvement with the garden. The study
found that one of the main benefits of working on the garden was that of better access to food.
“Most participants spoke of improved access and cost-saving in some way,” (Wakefield,
Yeudall, Taron, Reynolds, & Skinner, 2007, p. 97). Participants also benefited from involvement
with the garden as a “contribution to healthy living, in the form of better nutrition and increased
exercise” (Wakefield, Yeudall, Taron, Reynolds, & Skinner, 2007, p. 97). However, even though
these findings were reported by individuals, further research into the health benefits of
community gardens in needed (Wakefield, Yeudall, Taron, Reynolds, & Skinner, 2007, p. 100).
Wills, Chinemana, and Rudolph (2009) point out that “the nutritional impact of garden projects
has seldom been measured, partly because of the small amount of produce initially harvested but
more importantly because it is difficult to do so” (p. 39).
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Methodologies
Sampling Plan
Because a knowledge of purchasing food is required by participants in this study, only
participants over the age of 18 were interviewed, as they are the most likely to know the food
buying habits of their household. 9 out of 10 participants live in the Masxha community, and the
remaining participant was visiting the community and lives in Westville, about 15 minutes away
from Masxha. Participants were primarily found through the researcher’s homestay family, with
whom she stayed for 5 weeks in February and March and then another 3 weeks in April. The
researcher’s family introduced her to many of the study participants from April 12 to April 26.
This presents a potential limitation to the study, as the family might tend to associate more
closely with people who have a certain socioeconomic status close to their own.
The researcher aimed for participants to represent different households, as data collected
on the ability to access food would, in theory, be different between households but not among
them. Two sisters were both interviewed, however, presenting a limitation to the study. In total,
10 participants were interviewed, 9 women and 1 man. The ages ranged, however the interviewer
did not ask about age, because it is not directly relevant to the topic, unless the participant
appeared to be around or under 20 years of age to ensure that informed consent could be
adequately given by the participant.
Participants had to be fluent in English in order to participate, which presents a limitation
to the study. As such, this study is not representative of the entire Masxha community.
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Data Collection
Data was collected through interviews. Eight interviews were one-on-one, and one
interview was a group interview in which two family members participated. The group interview
created limitations, as one family member would often dominate the conversation, even though
both participants were asked each question. All of the interviews took place in the homes of the
participants. In order to collect information, the researcher asked each participant a set of 18
questions (see Appendix 1). The questions fell under the categories of eating habits and what
they consider to be healthy, food buying habits, food accessibility, and solutions to food
insecurity. Even though the questions are presented in a certain order, some interviews varied in
terms of what order the questions were asked in, as some participants started speaking on a
certain topic of interest and the researcher would consequently follow up on that topic,
sometimes straying from the initial set of interview questions. Some participants asked for the
clarification of some of the interview questions, in which cases the researcher reworded the
question. One limitation of the study is the form of the questions. Some questions were broad
with the intention of generating conversation, however some participants were confused by the
wording of some questions. The researcher did not ask every participant each question, as
throughout the interview some participants answered some themselves without having to be
specifically asked. The researcher gave each participant her cell phone number in the event that
they wanted to withdraw their input or receive a portion of the completed study. Each interview
was conducted in English, presenting a limitation in leaving out those who could not speak
English fluently.
Initially, food experts were going to be a part of this study to help in triangulation of the
data coming from Masxha community members. The researcher contacted four food experts
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under the guidance of her advisor, however, there were barriers in speaking to each of the experts
and consequently the perspectives of experts in the fields of food access and nutrition will not be
included in this study.
Data Analysis
In the data analysis process, each interview was first transcribed by the researcher. The
researcher then put all of her collected data together to begin coding and finding common themes
throughout the data. Some data was then organized into tables or charts, as ideally this makes the
information easier for the reader to visualize and understand the patterns that come from the
interviews. The data gained from primary sources was then compared and analyzed using
secondary sources to being further meaning to the information found in the study.
Richason 13
Ethics
Participants in this study each gave informed consent after a conversation about the rights
that they have in participating in the study (see Appendix 2). Each participant gave verbal
consent after it was ensured that they understood what was being asked of them. All participants
remain anonymous in this study, and have been coded as Anonymous 1-10. Responses to
interview questions have remained confidential, and the identity of participants is in no way
revealed in this study.
This study was approved by the Local Review Board (LRB) (see Appendix 3) and has
followed the ethical protocol given in the SIT Study Abroad Statement on Ethics (see Appendix
4).
The only risk presented to participants in this study was the risk of embarrassment at the
experience of food insecurity. For that reason the researcher purposefully left out questions
directly asking about participants’ income levels and whether they themselves, or their families,
worried about food insecurity. Participants were also informed that they had the right to refuse to
answer any question which they did not want to answer, or stop the interview at any time. The
participant affirmed the feedback given by participants, and tried to relate to participants when
possible to help reduce potential power differentials between the researcher and participants.
Richason 14
Findings
Food Habits and Perceptions of “Healthy”
The first question participants were asked was “what is your favorite meal?” Table 1
below depicts the answers of the participants, as answers were varied in terms of how
participants reacted to the word “meal,” with 3 out of 10 answering with one food item.
Table 1: Favorite meals of participants
Food type
Curry with rice/phutu
Pork/sausage/meat
Chicken with rice
Steamed bread and red meat with greens
Cabbage (prepared with chicken) and samp
Green salad with chicken
Roast chicken
Number of Participants
3
2
1
1
1
1
1
10
Participants each named a meat as either part or the whole of their favorite meal, and 7 out of 10
included a side to the meat, either a grain (6 out of 10) and/or a vegetable (2 out of 10).
Participants then either justified their answer with their reasoning, or they were asked why the
meal they named is their favorite. 6 out of 10 participants said or implied that they liked the meal
or food because of its taste, 3 out of 10 said that they preferred that food because they thought it
was healthy (one participant specifically said that he liked chicken because of it being “high in
protein” (Anonymous 9, pers. comm., April 22, 2016)). One participant said that rice and curry is
her favorite meal because “it’s what we eat almost every day” (Anonymous 1, pers. comm.,
April 13, 2016).
The second interview question was “Do you eat this and how often?” to start learning
whether food insecurity occurs in this community. Every participant answered “yes” to this
question, however, the frequency of consumption of their favorite meals differed. 2 out of 10
Richason 15
individuals reported that they eat their favorite meals every day, 2 out of 10 said that they eat
their favorite meal three times a week, 1 participant said twice a week and 1 participant said once
a week. Others were less specific. One participant said that she eats her favorite meal “a lot”
(Anonymous 2, pers. comm., April 13, 2016). One individual noted that while she is able to eat
her favorite meal, she does not eat it often for variation. Two participants said that they do not
eat their favorite meals very often because they take a long time to prepare, with one woman
noting that she prepares her favorite meal “if I just want to spoil myself” (Anonymous 5, pers.
comm., April 15, 2016). Anonymous 5 (pers. comm., April 15, 2016) also said that although red
meat is her favorite, her family usually eats white meat due to the higher price of red meat.
The third question asked whether participants thought that their favorite meal was
healthy. The responses to the first question are shown in Table 2 below.
Table 2: Perceived health of favorite meals
Participant Meal
“Do you think it’s a healthy meal?”
1
Curry and rice
No
2
Pork
No
3
Curry and phutu
No
4
Green salad with chicken
Yes
5
Steamed bread, red meat and greens
Greens are healthy but “bread has starch”
6
Roasted chicken
Yes
7
Curry and phutu
No
8
Cabbage and samp
No
9
Chicken and rice
Chicken is, “I’m not sure about rice”
10
Sausages
No
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The majority of participants, 6 out of 10, answered that their favorite meals are not healthy. 2 out
of 10 participants answered that their favorite meal is healthy, with both participants already
responding that the meal they gave is their favorite for health reasons. 2 out of 10 participants
answered that a portion of their meal was healthy but the other was not.
Question four asked how participants thought their favorite meal could be made healthier,
and results are shown in Figure 1 below.
Figure 1: Methods of making favorite meals healthier
Methods of making favorite foods healthier
Number of participants
4
3
2
1
0
Less oil
Add greens
Boil meat
Smaller portions
"Cook it less"
Healthy altercation to meal
3 out of 10 individuals answered that their favorite meal would be healthier if the main
component (either meat or cabbage) was boiled rather than cooked in oil. When asked why she
thought that cabbage prepared with oil and onions is unhealthy, Anonymous 8 (pers. comm.,
April 22, 2016) answered “Because oil is not healthy, unless you use olive oil, that’s what they
say, olive oil is much healthier than the oil that we use, the sunflower oil,” and she later added
that “that’s what I’ve heard from TV and dieticians, boiling food is much healthier.” Another
participant, when asked how her favorite meal could be made healthier, said “Maybe boiling it,
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but agh. Yeah, I think boiling it, but you wouldn't boil beef, you couldn't eat boiled beef, I think
it tastes funny” (Anonymous 10, pers. comm., April 26, 2016).
3 out of 10 individuals said that adding greens or a salad would make the meal healthier,
2 out of 10 participants said that smaller portions would make the meal healthier, and one
participant named less oil as making the meal healthier. One participant was unsure, saying
“What do I think could make the meal healthier? That's a tough one. Hmmm... That's a tough
one, you know. That's a tough question” (Anonymous 9, pers. comm., April 22, 2016). After
thinking for a few seconds he answered “I think cooking it less.” The interviewer asked
“Cooking it less, like for less amount of time?” for clarification, with which the individual
responded “Yeah, I think cooking it less makes it healthier. I mean, not overcooking it”
(Anonymous 9, pers. comm., April 22, 2016).
The fifth interview question asked participants whether or not they could eat their
favorite meal every day. 4 out of 10 participants answered that they either could or do eat their
favorite meal every day, with 2 of those being the participants who answered that their favorite
meal is healthy. The remaining 6 participants said that they could not eat their favorite meal
every day for various reasons. 2 out of 10 participants answered that they could not eat their
favorite meal every day due to physical effects of the nutritional value of the meal. Anonymous 2
(pers. comm., April 13, 2016) answered “Hell no, never, no, no, no, no, no” and when asked why
she answered “Aye, it’s got so much fat, that means I would go to be like [motions] this big.”
Anonymous 3 (pers. comm., April 13, April 16, 2016) said that “sometimes you have to feel
light, and that’s a heavy meal, so I can’t eat them every day.” 3 out of 10 participants said no for
reasons relating to food preparation. Anonymous 6 (pers. comm., April 16, 2016) said “No,
because I’m a lazy person to cook,” and Anonymous 8 (pers. comm., April 22, 2016) answered
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that “Samp, it takes a lot of time to prepare, yeah, I don’t have much time because in the morning
I have to drop the kids, come back, do whatever I need to do, go fetch them, you know, I don’t
have much time at home.” One individual answered that he could not eat his favorite meal every
day because he needs variation. One individual, who said that her favorite meal takes too much
preparation time, also said that her favorite meal includes red meat, but she can’t eat that every
day because red meat is expensive.
The sixth question asked participants what they ate the day before the interview. The
answers are listed in Table 3 below.
Table 3: “What did you eat yesterday?”
Participant
Favorite meal
“What did you eat yesterday?”
Grains
Protein
1
Curry and rice
Rice
Beans & sausages
2
Pork
Phutu
Beans
3
Curry and phutu
Rice
Baked beans & red
meat
4
Green salad with
-
chicken
Ribs & wings (at
Spur)
Steamed bread, red
Nothing- “I didn’t eat anything, there was
meat and greens
no electricity!”
6
Roasted chicken
Pap
Beef stew
7
Curry and phutu
Phutu
Fried meat
8
Cabbage and samp
Rice
Mince
9
Chicken and rice
Bread
Fish
5
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Nothing- “I never had supper… I was full”
Sausages
10
7 out of 10 participants answered with only a grain and form of protein. One participant
answered that she had ribs and wings at Spur, a restaurant, but did not mention a grain
component. 2 out of 10 participants said that they did not eat anything, with Anonymous 5 (pers.
comm., April 15, 2016) naming a power outage as the reasoning and Anonymous 10 (pers.
comm., April 26, 2016) stating that she was full when it came time to eat supper.
Food Buying Habits
Six questions about participants’ food buying habits were discussed as a way to help the
researcher better understand experiences of food security or insecurity in the community. Table 4
below summarizes the results from the seventh question asking where participants buy their
food. Participants that answered with two different places are counted twice.
Table 4: “Where do you buy food?”
Location
Number of Participants
Checkers or Pick n’ Pay at the Pavilion
8
In town
3
Woolworths
3
Bluff Meat, Oxford
1
The majority of participants (8 out of 10) answered that they get their groceries at different stores
in the Pavilion, and an additional participant answered that her family shops at the Pavilion if
they need food but aren’t going on their monthly shopping trip. One participant said that her
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family shops exclusively at shops in town for groceries, and two said that they shop at both the
Pavilion and at shops in town. Three participants said that they shop at both shops in the Pavilion
and also specifically Woolworths (which is also located in the Pavilion), saying that “they keep it
fresh” (Anonymous 4, pers. comm., April 13, 2016). One participant said that her family shops at
Bluff meat for meat, and at Oxford for vegetables. When asked why her family chooses to shop
there, she answered
“Because the meat is very fresh, good price, and we just feel that everything is there so
we can buy anything we want. And as I said, it is cheap. It's a good place. And it's clean.
Well, I don't want to lie, I'm a person who's full of herself, I may say that, I don't want to
buy meat anywhere, hygiene, to me, it's very important, you know, because at some
butcheries or somewhere, wherever they sell meat, you find out there's flies there, I don't
want to lie there may be flies at Bluff meat, but just that when you get there it's clean,
cleanliness there, that's very important. It's very clean. So I just prefer going there, even
though sometimes it will be like when you go there we'll go with public transport, and
then when we come back we have like a lot of packets and then we just have to take
public transport, but it's okay” (Anonymous 10, pers. comm., April 26, 2016).
When asked how far it takes her to get to where she buys groceries, Anonymous 10 said that it
takes her 45 minutes to an hour when using public transport. Individuals who shop in town,
Anonymous 1, 2, and 5, answered that it takes them 15, 15-30, and 20 minutes of travel time
respectively. Those who live in Masxha, shop at the Pavilion, and use public transport,
Anonymous 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, and 9, all answered between the range of 10-20 minutes travel time to
the Pavilion. Anonymous 8, who lives in Westville, answered that it takes her 5 minutes to reach
the Pavilion when she drives herself, using her own car. Anonymous 3 and 4 reported that
sometimes their mom drives them to the Pavilion, in which case it only takes 5 minutes of travel
time.
Participants were then asked how often they buy food and whether they buy in bulk. 8 out
of 10 individuals answered that they buy groceries once a month, and the remaining 2 answered
that they buy food twice a month. 2 out of 10 participants also added that they will shop an
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additional few times a month for fresh foods, and 1 individual added that she may shop
throughout the month if their food runs out. 10 out of 10 participants answered that they buy in
bulk, and 4 out of 10 participants added that they buy fresh food in smaller quantities throughout
the month.
The next question asked participants how much they spend on groceries every month.
One participant answered that his household spends 850 rand on groceries every month. 3 out of
10 individuals answered 1,000 rand, with 2 of those 3 a starting point in a range. 1 of those 2
participants said between 1,000-1,200 rand, and the other answered 1,000-2,000 rand. 3 out of 10
participants said that they spend about 1,500 rand on groceries every month. Two participants,
who live in the same household, spend 2,500 rand on one monthly trip, and then 1,000 rand on
smaller, weekly trips throughout the month. When asked whether they factor transportation to
buy groceries into their total spending budget for groceries, 9 out of 10 participants said no, and
1 participant said that she does, as she has a certain allotment of money for food and then takes
her transport money out of that.
Food Access
Four questions were involved in each interview to further determine whether individuals
were experiencing food insecurity, and their perceptions of those experiences. The first question
in this theme was “Do you think that it is difficult to access food around you?” with the intention
of learning whether participants thought that it is easy or difficult to physically get to food. 6 out
of 10 participants said that it is not difficult for them to access food. 2 of those 6 participants said
that sometimes they will buy an extra seat in the taxi to help get their groceries home, and an
additional 2 participants, of those 6, said that they sometimes ask for help with pushing the
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trolley or loading the taxi if they need it. 1 of those 6 participants lives in Westville, closer to the
Pavilion than Masxha, and she also has her own car and drives to the Pavilion when she grocery
shops. 1 participant answered the question by first saying that it is not difficult to access food
because she and her daughter are both working, and then later said that it is not difficult to get to
food “because even the supermarkets, it’s nearer” (Anonymous 7, pers. comm., April 18, 2016).
4 of 10 participants said that it is difficult for them to access food. 2 of those 4 participants
expressed frustration with the minibus taxi system, with one participant saying “It gets
frustrating, it does. Because sometimes, even the wait, like waiting for a taxi, it takes long”
(Anonymous 4, pers. comm., April 13, 2016), and the other saying “They get those bad, bad,
bad, bad taxis, so the transport to go to the Pavilion, aye, aye, I don’t trust it” (Anonymous 3,
pers. comm., April 13, 2016). Both of these participants stated that they spend 2,500 rand on
their big grocery trip, and 1,000 rand on smaller trips throughout the month, the most of all of the
participants. Another participant stated that it is difficult to access food because “Around here we
don’t usually have like supermarkets, pavilion is the closest mall to us, so it is hard to get food
around here” (Anonymous 6, pers. comm., April 16, 2016). This participant stated that her
family spends between 1,000 and 2,000 rand every month when they go grocery shopping, and
2,000 rand is on the high end of the spectrum of participants’ monthly grocery spending. The last
participant said that it is difficult to get food “Because, I mean, here, now for myself, so I'm
unemployed at the moment, so it is difficult, so I find that I want something but I can't afford it.
Yeah, so it is difficult” (Anonymous 9, pers. comm., April 22, 2016). Later in the interview he
said that taking taxis is “easy,” so he does not think it is difficult to physically access food, but
rather it is difficult to access economically.
Richason 23
Question fourteen is “Do people in the community ever worry about not having enough
food?” 8 out of 10 participants said that yes, people worry about not having enough food. 1 out
of 10 participants said no, and 1 out of 10 participants answered that she did not know. When
asked whether a small or large amount of people worry about having enough food, 6 out of those
8 participants said that a lot worry, and 2 out of 8 said that a small amount of people worry about
food. 3 of the 10 participants additionally said that neighbors help people who are struggling to
get food. 4 out of 10 individuals added that people struggle to afford food because a lot of people
are unemployed. One participant added,
“People cannot afford. Even our pension, that the government gives, a child, a small
child, is given 350 rand (for a month), and then the adults, which are from 60 years, get
1,500 rand. You cannot live with that money. You cannot… Yes, even us here, we are
relying on it. Like we have someone who is working but most of us are not working. We
actually rely on that money. But we are surviving” (Anonymous 1, pers. comm., April 13,
2016).
Participants were then asked how their access to food has changed. 9 out of 10
participants said that food is more expensive than it used to be. 2 of those 9 individuals
mentioned the drought as increasing the prices of food. The other individual said that “Yeah, I
don't think it, it hasn't been much of a problem to me, yeah. I haven't had a problem”
(Anonymous 8, pers. comm., April 22, 2016). Anonymous 4 (pers. comm., April 13, 2016) also
added that “there’s more genetically modified food now, and it’s not really healthy.”
Question sixteen asked participants what their diets were like when they were a child, to
help get an understanding of how and why peoples’ eating patterns have changed. The answers
are listed in Table 5, below.
Richason 24
Table 5: “What was your diet like when you were a child?”
How diet has changed
Number of Participants
Used to be healthier
4
Used to eat more “junk food”
2
Used to eat bigger portions
2
Used to be controlled by parents, now able to
1
eat according to preference
Used to eat same thing every day, now
1
changes for variation
Diet hasn’t changed
1
Participants responded with a wide range of reasons as to why their diets have changed
since they were children. 3 out of 10 individuals answered that their diets used to be healthier
because they ate foods that were grown in gardens either by their parents or grandparents. One
individual said that her diet used to be healthier and that “Now I eat a lot of junk food. Cuz I can
even afford to buy my own take-aways, so I can eat anything I want at any time” (Anonymous 1,
pers. comm., April 13, 2016). One individual said that “Because, now I am supporting myself, I
buy what I like… it’s different from supported by parents” (Anonymous 5, pers. comm., April
15, 2016). 2 individuals said that they now eat smaller portions, with Anonymous 2 (pers.
comm., April 13, 2016) saying “When I was a child, I could like eat everything, chips, food,
everything, but right now I know how to limit myself and food.” One individual stated that “I
mean, it hasn't changed, because when I was little, you know, I ate porridge, you know what
porridge is? And I still eat that s*** now. It hasn't changed, it is pretty much still the same”
(Anonymous 9, pers. comm., April 22, 2016). Another participant stated that her diet has
Richason 25
changed because “I think it's because I got used to them, you know, I used to eat them every
day… I’ve had enough with them,” and she added “I used to have like porridge with peanut
butter, and not I really don't like peanut butter. I used to eat corn flakes, I used to have them a lot
but now I don't like them at all” (Anonymous 10, pers. comm., April 26, 2016).
Food Access Solutions
Two questions about food access solutions were involved in the interviews, to see what
ideas participants have for improving their own community’s access to food. Answers to the first
question are listed below in Table 6.
Table 6: “Is there anything that could help you get food more easily?”
“Is there anything that could help you get
Number of Participants
food more easily?”
More shops around the neighborhood
2
Feeding scheme
2
Community garden
1
More jobs
2
Money
1
No
2
3 out of 10 participants named more money and jobs as helping with food access in the
community, and 2 out of 10 participants said that they already have enough access to food and
answered no. Two participants (from one household) said that a feeding scheme would be useful,
and described it as “Like if we, there’s a bunch of people in the community, they volunteer to
cook and bring food, maybe like, very week, at a certain time, so that other people, that cannot
afford, and then they like cook for them, they dish up, they also have like fruit” (Anonymous 4,
pers. comm., April 13, 2016). One participant described that a garden would be helpful,
Richason 26
“Maybe if we have a yard somewhere, where we could like go, like have a garden.
Maybe if we could have a garden where we like plant everything we need, especially
veggies, okay I understand with meat you can't plant meat, but with veggies where we
could like plant some cabbages, some carrots, some broccoli or whatever, it would be
easier because you wouldn't have to go to shops and buy, you'd just have to take from
there, from the garden” (Anonymous 10, pers. comm., April 26, 2016).
Next, participants were asked what they thought about gardening as helping to improve
their access to food. 9 out of 10 individuals said that gardens would be helpful. One participant
said that “I prefer food from the garden than from shops because other shops, they manufacture
food… And sometimes you like eat a particular thing, and then you get allergies and so forth”
(Anonymous 2, pers. comm., April 13, 2016). Another individual added that gardening would be
beneficial because “It’s healthy food, it’s fresh food from the ground. There’s no other chemicals
or things put into the food, so it’s fresh” (Anonymous 4, pers. comm., April 13, 2016). Another
participant explained why she thought that gardening would be beneficial,
“So for you to have your own garden, it saves you money and the shortage of vegetables
and all other things. And you can also help people in the community, like most of them
don’t have money, some of them can’t afford to buy most food every day, or food for the
whole month because they don’t have money so for you to have a garden you are also
able to donate a few vegetables and help out in the community” (Anonymous 6, pers.
comm., April 16, 2016).
2 out of 10 individuals said that there was no space for gardening, with one saying,
“It’s just that there’s no place in townships for gardening. I know some people who just
look for an empty, vacant place, and plow there, but nobody is taking, is watching for
your, for what you planted. Because I go up there, to the corner of the road, and plant,
and who is going to look for it? Anybody can take it. So there’s no place in townships
(Anonymous 5, pers. comm., April 15, 2016).
The other participants said that “Yes, it would help, but can you see, where can you garden your
food here?” (Anonymous 1, pers. comm., April 13, 2016). Another individual, who thought that
gardening would be helpful, also added that “it's just that it's a lot of work, and people don't want
Richason 27
to work or something because gardening takes a lot of work, you need to do a lot of things, yeah”
(Anonymous 8, pers. comm., April 22, 2016).
Traditional Foods
The last question of the interviews asked participants whether they eat traditional foods. 8
of the participants answered this question, and all of them said that they do eat traditional foods.
Table 7 below lists the traditional foods that participants named and their frequency.
Table 7: Traditional foods
Traditional Food
Ubhatata (sweet potato)
Amadumbi
Tripe
Imifino (greens/spinach)
Beans
Samp
uJeqe (steamed bread)
Cabbage
Dumplings
Number of times mentioned
6
4
4
4
3
3
3
1
1
In 2 interviews the conversation followed to discuss whether participants thought that traditional
foods are healthier than non-traditional foods. Anonymous 8 (pers. comm., April 22, 2016) said
that they are healthier “because most of the traditional food, when you prepare it you don’t use
oil.” When asked whether she thought traditional foods are healthy, anonymous 10 (pers. comm.,
April 26, 2016) said,
“Some of them are, like sweet potato, amadumbis, greens, yeah, some of them are, I
would think. Because usually they boil them, but when it comes to greens, greens you
have to put a lot of oil, that's not healthy I don't think.”
Richason 28
Analysis and Discussion
Knowledge of Healthy Eating without Behavior
The participants’ complete knowledge of healthy foods cannot adequately be analyzed, as
participants named healthy altercations to one meal rather than over a longer period of eating,
however this information can still be used to gage a portion of the knowledge that participants
have on healthy eating. Participants named a number of altercations to their favorite meals when
asked how they thought they could make their favorite meal healthier (see Figure 1). Adding
greens and boiling meat were both named 3 times, eating smaller portions was named twice, and
less oil and cooking the food less were both named once. Some of these suggestions fall in line
with the Food-Based Dietary Guidelines for South Africa (2012) (FBDGs). The FBDGs suggest:











“Enjoy a variety of foods.
Be active!
Make starchy foods part of most meals.
Eat plenty of vegetables and fruit every day.
Eat dry beans, split peas, lentils and soya regularly.
Have milk, maas, or yoghurt every day.
Fish, chicken, lean meat or eggs can be eaten daily.
Drink lots of clean, safe water.
Use fats sparingly. Choose vegetable oils, rather than hard fats.
Use sugar and foods and drinks high in sugar sparingly.
Use salt and food high in salt sparingly.” (Vorster, Badham, & Venter, 2013, p. 7)
Participants were accurate in 4 out of 5 of the main healthy food changes to the meals that they
named. Less oil and boiling meat address the FBDG of using fat sparingly. Additionally, one
participant said that “oil is not healthy, unless you use olive oil, that’s what they say, olive oil is
much healthier than the oil that we use, the sunflower oil” (Anonymous 8, pers. comm., April 22,
2016). The FBDGs suggest using vegetable oils rather than hard oils and do not differentiate
between different types of vegetable oils, as this participant did. Adding greens is also a
recommendation offered by the FBDGs, which suggest to “eat plenty of vegetables and fruit
Richason 29
every day” (Vorster, Badham, & Venter, 2013, p. 7). There was little mention of fruit in the
interviews, with only Anonymous 7 (pers. comm., April 18, 2016) specifically saying that she
buys fruit every two weeks.
The recommendation to eat smaller portion sizes, given by two participants, was not
included in the main list of the FBDGs, however it is specifically mentioned later when
concerning the portion sizes of meat (Schonfeldt, Pretorius, & Hall, 2013, p. 72). The Roadmap
for Nutrition in South Africa (2013) does not mention portion sizes anywhere in the
recommendations. One participant said a portion size would make the meal healthier “because
it’s like so much fat,” suggesting that Anonymous 2, pers. comm., April 13, 2016), which could
also be influenced by the FBDG recommendation to “use fats sparingly” (Vorster, Badham, &
Venter, 2013, p. 7), rather than a specific recommendation to eat smaller portion sizes. And
although the South African FBDGs don’t specifically mention certain portion sizes, other health
recommendations do, such as the American Heart Association guidelines (Suggested servings
from each food group, 2016), meaning that the participants were accurate in pointing out the
importance of portion size. Another participant also recommended eating smaller portion sizes
and said “I think it can be healthier if you can cook with maybe little bit of phutu, [motions small
amount with fingers] little bit of curry” (Anonymous 7, pers. comm., April 18, 2016). Both
participants also added that adding a green salad would make the meal healthier, referencing the
recommendation to “enjoy a variety of foods” (Vorster, Badham, & Venter, 2013, p. 7).
One participant said that “I think cooking it less makes it healthier. I mean, not
overcooking it” (Anonymous 9, pers. comm., April 22, 2016). The researcher attempted to
clarify by asking “the rice or the chicken?” and the participant responded “Both. No, well you
have to cook the rice properly, so I think the chicken” (Anonymous 9, pers. comm., April 22,
Richason 30
2016). Chicken must be properly cooked for food safety, and as such this suggestion, as
interpreted by the reseacher (there could have been a misunderstanding in language use), is not a
way to make a meal helathier. Overall, participants identified 3 of the 11 recommendations given
by the FBDGs, as well as the additional health recommendation of eating smaller portions.
It is evident that participants possess some knowledge regarding healthy eating behavior,
however, the behavior of eating healthy food was not always followed through. After the
interview, one participant said
“I’ll add that if, I don’t know how to put it, but if I’m not the, the greens person, but if I
can say one thing I recommend I could say that it’s better to put just a piece of meat,
greens, a salad. To eat salad every time, so that, and boil, I don’t like to boil, I fry, but
people must go for boiling” (Anonymous 5, pers. comm., April 15, 2016).
She said that she is “not the greens person” and “I don’t like to boil,” yet she was still saying that
people must boil their meat and eat greens, showing a gap between the knowledge of healthy
eating and the behavior of eating healthy foods. Another participant, who named less oil and
adding a salad to make her meal healthier, said later in the interview that “Now I eat a lot of junk
food… I’m not a healthy person. I’m not concerned about my weight and everything, I just eat
anything at any time” (Anonymous 1, pers. comm., April 13, 2016). Her healthy food suggestion
was accurate, however, even with that knowledge she still chose to eat “junk” food.
This disconnect between having the knowledge of healthy foods and the behavior of
actually eating them suggests that there are barriers in place that prevent people from choosing
healthy foods. One barrier might be availability. Anonymous 1 (pers. comm., April 12, 2016)
said that “Now I eat a lot of junk food. Cus I can even afford to buy my own take-aways, so I can
eat anything I want at any time. Here we have a lot of shops that sell takeaways, fried chips…
sausages, no I don’t have a healthy diet.” Her immediately available food sources are fried chips
and sausages, and so even though she knows that “less oil, and maybe get used to salad”
Richason 31
(Anonymous 1, pers. comm., April 13, 2016), her most available foods are unhealthy ones and so
she eats those. Another barrier between knowledge of healthy foods and behavior could be
preference. Anonymous 5 (pers. comm., April 15, 2016) said that “They say we must boil it, you
must steam food so you must be healthy, but we like to fry.” Her personal preference kept her
from translating her knowledge into a behavior.
Perceptions of Food Insecurity
Although this study did not intend to specifically find how many individuals experienced
food insecurity, the experiences that individuals shared can shed some light on the frequency of
food insecurity experience among those interviewed. Food security entails that nutritious, safe,
and preferred food is available, accessible, utilized properly and stable (Food Security (Policy
brief 2), 2006, p. 1). The question asking participants if they could have their favorite meal every
day intended to determine whether some individuals were experiencing food insecurity. One
participant answered that she cannot eat her favorite meal every day due to the cost being too
high, while the other 9 said yes or no according to preference and not necessity. Within the
context of this question, one out of ten the participants had the potential to be experiencing food
insecurity.
The question of buying in bulk also aimed at understanding whether food insecurity was
experienced among participants. It was expected that most participants would use the minibus
taxis as transportation to the grocery store (9 out of 10 individuals did say that they use the
minibus taxis), and it was expected that because of this, individuals would buy less groceries for
the sake of being able to carry their food. The study found, however, that all of the participants
buy at least some of their food in bulk during once or twice a month grocery shopping trips. One
Richason 32
participant, when asked if taking bags onto the taxi influenced how much he buys, answered
“No, it doesn't. We don't care. [Laughs] We don't care. Sometimes we can buy a seat, you know,
I buy a seat, just for my groceries, in a taxi” (Anonymous 9, pers. comm., April 22, 2016). The
question asking whether participants added the cost of transport to their money for food aimed at
determining how accessible food is for community members. One individual answered that she
factors her transport money into her food budget, while the other 8 said that they do not.
When participants were asked if they thought it was difficult to access food around them,
it was expected that individuals experiencing food insecurity would answer that it is, however,
the opposite occurred. The 3 individuals that spend the most on groceries every month,
indicating a potential higher income (however without household size factored in it’s not
assured), answered that they think it is difficult to access food around them, while the other 6
participants that live in Masxha answered that it wasn’t difficult for different reasons, namely the
perceived ease of minibus transportation: “I just go to the bus stop and take a taxi” (Anonymous
5, pers. comm., April 15, 2016). Individuals who expressed that food is difficult to access around
them gave reasons relating to transport by minibus taxi, and all 3 said that on their way home
from grocery shopping they sometimes call a taxi (which costs R80 (Anonymous 3, pers. comm.,
April 13, 2016)), rather than take the minibus taxi (which costs R6 (Anonymous 1, pers. comm.,
April 13, 2016)) to make the transport of groceries easier. Because they spend more on groceries
it may be more difficult to use the minibus taxis as transport due to having more groceries, or it
could be a matter of personal preference, more research is determined.
The trends found from the responses to these questions indicate that a low percentage of
participants in Masxha experience or risk experiencing food insecurity. These results cannot be
Richason 33
generalized to the entire community, as a very small segment of the population was involved in
the study, and biases unintentionally existed in choosing participants.
Community Gardening
Most participants thought that food gardens were good ideas, with 9 out of 10 saying that
they would be helpful, and naming that healthy food, saving money, and having accessible food
would be tangible benefits of having a garden. 2 participants said that food gardens would be
helpful because the food that comes from them is healthy. A study that took place in the US and
followed 42 Hispanic farmworker families in planting and maintaining organic gardens found
after two growing seasons that the adults’ vegetable intake increased four-fold, and the children’s
vegetable intake increased three-fold (Carney, et al., 2011, p. 877). Another study done in 2007
in Denver, Colorado, found that both community and personal gardens increased participants’
consumption of fruits and vegetables. Participants that took part in a community garden were
found to consume fruits and vegetables 5.7 times per day and home gardeners were found to
consume fruits and vegetables 4.6 times per day. Nongardeners, alternatively, consumed fruits
and vegetables 3.9 times per day (Litt, et al., 2011, p. 1466).
Participants also named saving money as an advantage of having gardens. A qualitative
study done with African refugees in Australia followed 13 participants that kept gardens and
found that they reported saving money as an advantage to having a garden. One participant said
regarding growing his own traditional foods that “It enables me to save. When I grow them I get
them from my own garden. I do not use money to buy them… I have saved money on my
garden” (Gichunge & Kidwaro, 2014, p. 272). Another participant said that “I save money. If I
Richason 34
need something that is in my garden I do not have to worry about where I will get it” (Gichunge
& Kidwaro, 2014, p. 272).
Participants in this study also said that food would be more accessible if they had
personal gardens, with one individual saying, referring to gardening, that “It’s easy for you to get
even the fresh vegetables” (Anonymous 7, pers. comm., April 18, 2016). Participants in the
Australia study commented that they had better access to food while gardening, with participants
commenting that “If I need something that is in my garden, I do not have to worry about where I
will get it” (Gichunge & Kidwaro, 2014, p. 272), and “I am able to get vegetables. I do not have
to buy” (Gichunge & Kidwaro, 2014, p. 272).
Richason 35
Conclusions
This study aimed to recognize perceptions of food access and healthy eating as
experienced by members of the Masxha community. The findings cannot be generalizable to all
of the Masxha community, however, as this study was done on such a small scale. Using
information gathered from interviews, very few participants were found to be at risk of
experiencing food insecurity, with only one participant out of ten answering questions positively
for food security. Perceptions of what food is “healthy” mostly followed the South African
FBDGs, however, even though the knowledge of healthy eating is evident, healthy eating
behaviors are still lagging behind knowledge. Barriers, namely available foods and personal
preference, can dictate whether an individual eats healthily. Urban food insecurity in South
Africa is gaining attention, however, more research still needs to be done to determine what
reasonable solutions might be.
Richason 36
Recommendations for Further Study
Further study needs to be conducted on the prevalence of food insecurity in urban areas
of South Africa. This study touched the surface of a much bigger issue that needs exposure.
Further study could also explore the eating patterns of urban South African communities to
assess their nutritional status and eating patterns.
The motivation for further study should be to ultimately find unique solutions to the
unique experiences of urban food security. This study mainly asked participants about
community gardening, however, in future studies, participants could be asked about what
solutions they want, and how they can be involved in the process of bettering their community
through unique solutions that the community suggests fit their own experiences.
Richason 37
References
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approach to food access. Development Southern Africa, 28(4), 545-561.
Carney, P. A., Hamada, J. L., Rdesinski, R., Sprager, L., Nichols, K. R., Liu, B. Y., . . . Shannon,
J. (2011). Impact of a community gardening project on vegetable intake, food security
and family relationships: A community-based participatory research study. Journal of
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Crush, J., & Caesar, M. (2014). City without choice: Urban food insecurity in Msunduzi, South
Africa. Urban Forum, 165-175. doi:10.1007/s12132-014-9218-4
Food Security (Policy brief 2). (2006, June). Retrieved from Food and Agriculture Organization
of the United Nations: http://www.fao.org/forestry/131280e6f36f27e0091055bec28ebe830f46b3.pdf
Frayne, B., Battersby-Lennard, J., Fincham, R., & Haysom, G. (2009). Urban food security in
South Africa: Case study of Cape Town, Msunduzi and Johannesburg. Midrand:
Development Bank of Southern Africa.
Gichunge, C., & Kidwaro, F. (2014). Utamu wa Afrika (the sweet taste of Africa): The vegetable
garden as part of resettled African refugee's food environment. Nutrition & Dietetics,
270-275.
Global Health Observatory data: Obesity. (n.d.). Retrieved from World Health Organization:
www.who.int/gho/ncd/risk_factors/obesity_text/en/
Litt, J. S., Soobader, M. J., Turbin, M. S., Hale, J. W., Buchenau, M., & Marshall, J. A. (2011).
The influence of social involvement, neighborhood aesthetics, and community garden
participation on fruit and vegetable consumption. American Journal of Public Health,
1466-1473.
Rising food prices: where are the most vulnerable? (2016, February 9). Retrieved from Statistics
South Africa: http://www.statssa.gov.za/?p=6135
(2013). Roadmap for Nutrition in South Africa. Pretoria: Department of Health, South Africa.
Schonfeldt, H. C., Pretorius, B., & Hall, N. (2013). "Fish, chicken, lean meat and eggs can be
eaten daily": a food-based dietary guideline for South Africa. Food-Based Guidelines for
South Africa, 66-76.
Richason 38
Steyn, N. P., Bradshaw, D., Norman, R., Joubert, J. D., Schneider, M., & Steyn, K. (2006).
Dietary changes and the health transition in South Africa: implications for health policy.
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Richason 39
List of Primary Sources
Anonymous 1, personal communication, April 13, 2016
Anonymous 2, personal communication, April 13, 2016
Anonymous 3, personal communication, April 13, 2016
Anonymous 4, personal communication, April 13, 2016
Anonymous 5, personal communication, April 15, 2016
Anonymous 6, personal communication, April 16, 2016
Anonymous 7, personal communication, April 18, 2016
Anonymous 8, personal communication, April 22, 2016
Anonymous 9, personal communication, April 22, 2016
Anonymous 10, personal communication, April 26, 2016
Richason 40
Appendix 1: Interview Questions
1. What is your favorite meal?
2. Do you eat this?
a. If so, how often?
b. If not, why not?
3. Do you think this is a healthy meal?
4. What would make it healthier?
5. Is it a meal you could eat every day?
6. What did you eat yesterday?
7. Where do you buy food?
8. How long does it take you to get to where you buy food?
9. How often do you buy food?
a. Do you buy in bulk or small quantities?
10. Approximately how much do you spend on food per month?
11. When you think about the cost of food do you add the cost of transportation?
12. Do you think that it is difficult to access food around you?
a. If so, why?
13. Do people in the community ever worry about not having enough food?
a. If so, why?
b. If so, is it a small amount of people or a lot of people?
14. How has access to food changed?
15. What was your diet like when you were a child?
16. Is there anything that would help you get food more easily?
17. People often think about gardens as improving food access, what do you think about
gardens? Do you have experience with gardens?
18. Do you ever eat traditional foods?
Richason 41
Appendix 2: Informed Consent Form
I can read English.
I understand that this project is asking me to talk about my ideas and thoughts about healthy food
and where and how I get food.
I understand that my words will be used in a small book that talks about what Zulu people eat
and that the book will be put on computers for anyone to see.
If I want to know what words of mine will be put in this book I understand that I can ask the
student to tell me by phoning me if I give my cell number.
I understand that my name will not be put in this book and nobody will know it is me who said
these things.
I understand that I can choose not to answer any question and that will be OK. I can ask for my
words to be taken out of the book, but I need to tell the writer before Friday, 29 April, 2016.
I understand that my voice will be recorded but the recording will be thrown away after 1 month.
Only the writer will be allowed to listen to the recording and to write down what I said.
I understand that I will receive no gift for talking with this person.
I have the writer’s cellphone number it is 081 350 9489.
I understand that if I am worried about this I can call the teacher Zed McGladdery 084 683 4982.
Signature (participant)___________________________Date:_________________
Richason 42
Appendix 3: Local Review Board Approval
Richason 43
Appendix 4: SIT Study Abroad Statement on Ethics
(Adapted from the American Anthropological Association)
This document must be read, signed, and submitted to the AD prior to ethics review meeting.
In the course of field study, complex relationships, misunderstandings, conflicts, and the need to make choices
among apparently incompatible values are constantly generated. The fundamental responsibility of students is to
anticipate such difficulties to the best of their ability and to resolve them in ways that are compatible with the
principles stated here. If a student feels such resolution is impossible, or is unsure how to proceed, s/he should
consult as immediately as possible with the Project Advisor and/or AD and discontinue the field study until some
resolution has been achieved. Failure to consult in cases which, in the opinion of the AD and Project Advisor, could
clearly have been anticipated, can result in disciplinary action as delineated in the “failure to comply” section of this
document. Students must respect, protect, and promote the rights and the welfare of all those affected by their work.
The following general principles and guidelines are fundamental to ethical field study:
I. Responsibility to people whose lives and cultures are studied
Students' first responsibility is to those whose lives and cultures they study. Should conflicts of interest arise, the
interests of these people take precedence over other considerations, including the success of the Independent Study
Project (ISP) itself, for if the ISP has negative repercussions for any members of the target culture, the project can
hardly be called a success. Students must do everything in their power to protect the dignity and privacy of the
people with whom they conduct field study.
The rights, interests, safety, and sensitivities of those who entrust information to students must be safeguarded. The
right of those providing information to students either to remain anonymous or to receive recognition is to be
respected and defended. It is the responsibility of students to make every effort to determine the preferences of those
providing information and to comply with their wishes. It should be made clear to anyone providing information that
despite the students' best intentions and efforts anonymity may be compromised or recognition fail to materialize.
Students should not reveal the identity of groups or persons whose anonymity is protected through the use of
pseudonyms.
Students must be candid from the outset in the communities where they work that they are students. The aims of
their Independent Study Projects should be clearly communicated to those among whom they work.
Students must acknowledge the help and services they receive. They must recognize their obligation to reciprocate
in appropriate ways.
To the best of their ability, students have an obligation to assess both the positive and negative consequences of their
field study. They should inform individuals and groups likely to be affected of any possible consequences relevant
to them that they anticipate.
Students must take into account and, where relevant and to the best of their ability, make explicit the extent to which
their own personal and cultural values affect their field study.
Students must not represent as their own work, either in speaking or writing, materials or ideas directly taken from
other sources. They must give full credit in speaking or writing to all those who have contributed to their work.
II. Responsibilities to Hosts
Students should be honest and candid in all dealings with their own institutions and with host institutions. They
should ascertain that they will not be required to compromise either their responsibilities or ethics as a condition of
permission to engage in field study. They will return a copy of their study to the institution sponsoring them and to
the community that hosted them at the discretion of the institution(s) and/or community involved.
III. Failure to comply
When the AD(s) feel that the student has violated this statement of ethics, the student will be placed on probation.
In the case of egregious violations, students can be subject to immediate dismissal under the conditions of the SIT
STUDY ABROAD dismissal guidelines.
Richason 44
I, _________________________________________________, have read the above Statement of Ethics and agree
to make every effort to comply with its provisions.
Date: _31/3/16_____________
Richason 45
Access, Use, and Publication of ISP/FSP
Student Name: Hannah Richason
Email Address: [email protected]
Title of ISP/FSP: Food for Thought: Perceptions of Food Access and Healthful Eating in the Masxha
Community
Program and Term/Year: South Africa: Community Health and Social Policy Spring 2016
Student research (Independent Study Project, Field Study Project) is a product of field work and as such
students have an obligation to assess both the positive and negative consequences of their field study.
Ethical field work, as stipulated in the SIT Policy on Ethics, results in products that are shared with local
and academic communities; therefore copies of ISP/FSPs are returned to the sponsoring institutions and
the host communities, at the discretion of the institution(s) and/or community involved.
By signing this form, I certify my understanding that:
1.
I retain ALL ownership rights of my ISP/FSP project and that I retain the right to use all, or part, of my
project in future works.
2.
World Learning/SIT Study Abroad may publish the ISP/FSP in the SIT Digital Collections, housed on World
Learning’s public website.
3.
World Learning/SIT Study Abroad may archive, copy, or convert the ISP/FSP for non-commercial use, for
preservation purposes, and to ensure future accessibility.
 World Learning/SIT Study Abroad archives my ISP/FSP in the permanent collection at the SIT Study
Abroad local country program office and/or at any World Learning office.
 In some cases, partner institutions, organizations, or libraries in the host country house a copy of the
ISP/FSP in their own national, regional, or local collections for enrichment and use of host country
nationals.
4.
World Learning/SIT Study Abroad has a non-exclusive, perpetual right to store and make available,
including electronic online open access, to the ISP/FSP.
5.
World Learning/SIT Study Abroad websites and SIT Digital Collections are publicly available via the
Internet.
6.
World Learning/SIT Study Abroad is not responsible for any unauthorized use of the ISP/FSP by any third
party who might access it on the Internet or otherwise.
7.
I have sought copyright permission for previously copyrighted content that is included in this ISP/FSP
allowing distribution as specified above.
Richason 46
Student Signature
May 5, 2016
Date